Background: Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978 when President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997 which were marred by violence and fraud but were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI running as the candidate of the multiethnic united opposition group the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. KIBAKI's NARC coalition splintered in 2005 over a constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU to form a new opposition coalition the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) which defeated the government's draft constitution in a popular referendum in November 2005. KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007 brought charges of vote rigging from ODM candidate Raila ODINGA and unleashed two months of violence in which as many as 1500 people died. UN-sponsored talks in late February 2008 produced a power-sharing accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position of prime minister. Kenya in August 2010 adopted a new constitution that eliminates the role of prime minister after the next presidential election.

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N 38 00 E

Area
Rank: 49
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Coastline: 536 km

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west

Natural resources: limestone soda ash salt gemstones fluorspar zinc diatomite gypsum wildlife hydropower

Irrigated land: 1030 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 30.2 km³ (1990)

Natural hazards: recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Geography
Note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

Population: 43,013,341 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 31
Growth rate: 2.444% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 31
Below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22% Luhya 14% Luo 13% Kalenjin 12% Kamba 11% Kisii 6% Meru 6% other African 15% non-African (Asian European and Arab) 1%

Languages: English (official) Kiswahili (official) numerous indigenous languages

Religions: Protestant 45% Roman Catholic 33% Muslim 10% indigenous beliefs 10% other 2%

Population growth rate: 2.444% (2012 est.)
Rank: 31

Birth rate: 31.93 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 40

Death rate: 7.26 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 121

Net migration rate: -0.23 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 125

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 51

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 177

Total fertility rate: 3.98 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 43

Physicians density: 0.14 physicians/1000 population (2002)

Hospital bed density: 1.4 beds/1000 population (2006)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 6.3% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 11
People living with hivaids: 1.5 million (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 4
Deaths: 80,000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 6

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.5% (2003)
Rank: 50

Education expenditures: 7% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 16

Government type: republic

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central Coast Eastern Nairobi Area* North Eastern Nyanza Rift Valley Western; note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 designates 47 yet-to-be-defined counties as first-order administrative units

Independence: 12 December 1963 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 12 December (1963); Madaraka Day 1 June (1963); Mashujaa Day 20 October (2010)

Constitution: 27 August 2010; the new constitution abolishes the position of prime minister and establishes a bicameral legislature; many details have yet to be finalized and will require significant legislative action

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law Islamic law and customary law; judicial review in High Court

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge usually referred to as Parliament (224 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms 12 nominated members appointed by the president but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals 2 ex-officio members); note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 changes the legislature to a bicameral parliament consisting of a 290 member National Assembly and a 94 member Senate; parliament members will serve five year terms

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court; note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 specifies three superior courts consisting of a Supreme Court Court of Appeals and High Court and three subordinate courts consisting of Magistrate courts Kadhis courts (sentences according to Muslim law) and Courts Martial

Political parties and leaders: Kenya African National Union or KANU [Gideon MOI]; The National Party Alliance or TNA [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya [Martha KARUA]; Orange Democratic Movement or ODM [Raila ODINGA]; Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party of National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI]; United Republican Party or URP [William Ruto]; Wiper Democratic Movement or WDM [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C CD COMESA EAC EADB FAO G-15 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IGAD ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MONUSCO NAM OPCW PCA UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNMISS UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top) red and green; the red band is edged in white; a large Maasai warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center; black symbolizes the majority population red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom green stands for natural wealth and white for peace; the shield and crossed spears symbolize the defense of freedom

National symbols: lion

Economy overview: Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. Low infrastructure investment threatens Kenya's long-term position as the largest East African economy. In the key December 2002 elections Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign ended and a new opposition government took on the formidable economic problems facing the nation. After some early progress in rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support the KIBAKI government was rocked by high-level graft scandals in 2005 and 2006. In 2006 the World Bank and IMF delayed loans pending action by the government on corruption. The international financial institutions and donors have since resumed lending despite little action on the government's part to deal with corruption. Unemployment is very high. The country has experienced cronic budget deficits inflationary pressures and sharp currency depreciation - as a result of high food and fuel import prices. The discovery of oil in March 2012 provides an opportunity for Kenya to balance its growing trade deficit if the deposits are found to be commercially viable and Kenya is able to develop a port and pipeline to export its oil.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 84

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 54

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 196

Agriculture products: tea coffee corn wheat sugarcane fruit vegetables; dairy products beef pork poultry eggs

Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (2011 est.)
Rank: 98

Labor force: 18.89 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 31

Unemployment rate: 40% (2001 est.)
Rank: 185

Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 44.9 (1997)
Rank: 49

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -4.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 147

Taxes and other revenues: 17.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 177

Public debt: 50.7% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 63

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 14% (2011 est.)
Rank: 197

Central bank discount rate:

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15.05% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 42

Stock of narrow money: $7.32 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 78

Stock of broad money: $17.89 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 85

Stock of domestic credit: $18.25 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 83

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 66

Current account balance: -$3.536 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 157

Exports: $5.787 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 107
Commodities: tea horticultural products coffee petroleum products fish cement
Partners: Uganda 9.9% Tanzania 9.6% Netherlands 8.4% UK 8.1% US 6.2% Egypt 4.9% Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.2% (2011)

Imports: $13.83 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 88
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment petroleum products motor vehicles iron and steel resins and plastics
Partners: China 15.3% India 13.8% UAE 10.5% Saudi Arabia 7.3% South Africa 5.5% Japan 4% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $4.893 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 87

Debt external: $8.999 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 96

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $2.626 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 91

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $300 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 79

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 6.573 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 105
Consumption: 5.516 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 111
Exports: 27 million kWh (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 82
Imports: 38 million kWh (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 100
Installed generating capacity: 1.706 million kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 106
Generation sources fossil fuels: 43.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 166
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 117
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 43.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 48
Generation sources other renewable sources: 12.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 17

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 150
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 135
Crude oil imports: 32,560 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 64
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 149

Refined petroleum
Products production: 30,960 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 91
Products consumption: 79,410 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 89
Products exports: 1065 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 108
Products imports: 34,990 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 81

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 147
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 159
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 95
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 86
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 153

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 12.25 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 96

Telephones
Main lines in use: 283,500 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 120
Mobile cellular: 28.08 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 36

Broadcast media: about a half-dozen privately-owned TV stations and a state-owned TV broadcaster that operates 2 channels; satellite and cable TV subscription services available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates 2 national radio channels and provides regional and local radio services in multiple languages; a large number of private radio stations including provincial stations broadcasting in local languages; transmissions of several international broadcasters available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .ke
Hosts: 71,018 (2012)
Hosts rank: 88
Users: 3.996 million (2009)
Users rank: 59

Military expenditures: 2.8% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 48

Military service age and obligation: 18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary service (under 18 with parental consent) with a 9-year obligation (7 years for Kenyan Navy); applicants must be Kenyan citizens and provide a national identity card (obtained at age 18) and a school-leaving certificate; women serve under the same terms and conditions as men; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2010)

Airports: 194 (2012)
Rank: 31

Pipelines: oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2010)

Railways
Rank: 71

Roadways
Rank: 30

Waterways: none specifically the only significant inland waterway in the country is the part of Lake Victoria within the boundaries of Kenya; Kisumu is the main port and has ferry connections to Uganda and Tanzania (2011)

Merchant marine
Rank: 125

Ports and terminals: Kisumu Mombasa

Disputes international: Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to almost a quarter million refugees including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the 'Ilemi Triangle' which Kenya has administered since colonial times

Illicit drugs: widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status as a regional financial center; massive corruption and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities